While talking to Soha Ali Khan on her podcast, Dia Mirza shared the influence her father had on her. She also spoke about taking a break from acting at the peak of her career.
Dia Mirza is one of those actors who have been using their following and influence to raise awareness about things that matter. Be it in her personal life or through her professional choices, she has been extensively advocating for the protection of the environment and wildlife. But the love for nature was ingrained in her since childhood, and her guardians. While talking to Soha Ali Khan, the beauty queen spoke about her parents’ separation and how it made her responsible.
Dia Mirza on becoming responsible after her parents’ split
On Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, actor and producer Dia Mirza touched upon a deeply personal space. The diva reflected on one of the defining lessons of her childhood, recalling how her father chose principles over financial security when faced with an ethically challenging professional opportunity.
Talking about how this shaped her understanding of responsibility and ethics, she said, “One of the reasons why my parents separated was because my father had such a strong point of view about the projects that he would take on.”
The Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein actress further added that his industrial fair designer father refused to take up a high-paying job after he got to know that the factory that he was asked to design was spewing effluence into a nearby river. Despite the fact that they needed the money, he didn’t go ahead with it.
“I remember one of the most loud fights between my parents was about this, and he said, ‘No, I won’t do it.’ And my mom was like, ‘Who’s going to pay the bills? I mean, we’ve got to pay for her school. There’s all this expense, and we don’t have the luxury to say no.’ He said, ‘No, we but we always have a choice’,” she shared.
She further recalled spending much of her early years outdoors with her adoptive father, going sailing, trekking, and exploring the natural world around her. Growing up in a home surrounded by mango, guava, and chiku trees, she developed a deep appreciation for the environment from a young age.
Later in the episode, Dia opened up about a pivotal moment in her own life when professional success no longer felt fulfilling. Reflecting on that period, she shared, “I stepped back in 2005. I took a two-year sabbatical at what is considered your prime.”
When she was 24, she thought to herself, ‘I don’t like what I’m doing. I’m not having fun. I’ve made money. I’m independent. I have a home I can call my own in a city that is now mine because it’s embraced me, and I don’t have to worry about my bills, but this is not making me happy.